Film selecting mechanism



Feb. 18 1947. OSBORNE 2,416,210

I FILM SELECTING MECHANISM Filed March 13, 1944 1 verz Z0); 4 :Mdm,

5M A f JE-f-orney Patented Feb. 18, 1947 FILM SELECTING MECHANISM Fred H. Osborne, Snyder, N. Y., assignor to The Rudolph Wurlitzer Company, North Tonawanda, N. Y., a corporation of Ohio Application March 13, 1944, Serial No. 526,300

3 Claims.

This invention relates generally to a selector mechanism but more particularly to a film selector for automatically selecting, at the will of a patron, a given portion or selection of a film on a magazine reel of the type used on film projectors.

It has for one of its objects to provide a selector mechanism of this character which is so designed as to selectively and automatically control the movement of the film to render operative one or another of a plurality of portions or selections thereon as predetermined by a selection made by the patron, it being understood that the film is divided into different subjects or selections and that appropriately identified selector elements or buttons are provided for manual selection by the patron.

Another object is to provide an electricallygoverned film selector mechanism which is automatically operative to propel the film in one direction or the other to its preselective position, the film having means thereon correlated with such mechanism for controlling the initiation as well as the termination of movement of the film to and from a selection-rendering position.

Other features of the invention reside in the construction and arrangement of parts hereinafter described and particularly pointed out in the appended claims.

In the accompanying drawings:

Figure l is a diagrammatic View of the film selector mechanism embodying my invention. Figure 2 is an end View of the segmental brushes and associated parts.

Similar characters of reference indicate corresponding parts throughout the several views.

Referring now to the drawings, Iii indicates a portion of a film, such as is used on projection machines, which is divided into a plurality of difierent subjects or selections adapted to be automatically selected by my selector mechanism and which is provided along one edge thereof between the selections with notches i I. The movable element l2 of a pair of alternately opening and closing switches i3, i4 is normally yieldingly urged for displacement into the film-notches as they travel past the same to effect the closing of the switch i and the opening of the switch 13. During the operative showing or playing of the film, the switch element it engages the edge of the film to maintain the switch l3 closed and the companion switch i4 open, these switches in part controlling the automatic operation of the mechanism as will hereinafter appear.

The numerals l5, iii indicate a pair of electric motors, rotatable in opposite directions, and which serve to drive the reels to which the opposite ends of the film 56 are connected in corresponding directions to thereby propel the film to a pre-set position, corresponding to the selection thereon, which the patron has selected. Push buttons ll, bearing numbers or like characters, are provided which are adapted to be depressed to a selective position oy the patron, there being seven of such buttons shown in the drawings, by way of example, corresponding to a like number of selections on the film.

The selector mechanism is preferably constructed as follows:

Mounted for rotation in one direction or the other on a shaft I3 is a ratchet wheel 59 to which is connected a pair of segmental brushes 253, 2!, which are substantially semi-circular in shape and spaced at their opposing edges to provide diametrically opposed gaps 22 wide enough to clear one contact of a semi-circular row of selector contacts 23 disposed in contacting or circuitclosing relation with one or the other of such brushes. These selector contacts correspond in number to the selector buttons H which control companion selector switches 2 one terminal of each switch being connected to a feed wire 25 and the other terminal thereof being connected to the companion contact 23. The brush is in constant electrical connection with a contact 26 while the brush 2| is in like connection with a contact 2i. Cooperating with the ratchet Wheel to intermittently advance it step by step in one direction or the other to selectively position the brushes in position corresponding to the push button depressed, and which position is that wherein the gap 22 registers with that contact 23 companion to the button selected, a pair of feed pawls 28, 29 is provided and adapted to be rendered operative upon the energization of companion electromagnets 39, 3!, respectively. The energization of the electromagnet 38 causes the ratchet to be advanced one tooth in a clockwise direction, while the energization of the electromagnet 33 causes the ratchet to be advanced one tooth in a counter-clockwise direction, and it might be stated here that simultaneously with the closing of the circuits including those electro magnets, circuits are established for rendering the respective film-driving motors i5 and it oper ative to propel the film in one dir ction or the other until the selected subject is in position for projection.

The numerals 32, 33 indicate relays, one having its coil connected by a wire 34 with the segment-contact 26 and the other by a wire 35 with the companion segment-contact 27, while the other ends of these relay-coils are connected by branch wires to the other or return feed wire at of the power line. The relay 32 has three sets of contact points Si, 32 and iii, and the relay 33 has a like number of contact points at, ll and 72. A third relay 2-3 is provided having two sets of contact points id, 45 with the coil thereof connected by a wire 46 with the feed wire 25 and by a wire t! with the blade of the switch i3, so that whenever the latter is closed the relay is energized and its contact points closed. The relay contact points 3? and 4t serve, when the relays are energized, to close the circuits of the respective electromagnets SI and 39, the point 3? being connected by a wire 13 with the coil of its controlling magnet 35, and the point it being connected by a wire 49 with its controlling magnet 39, both magnets being also connected to a common wire joined to the wire 16 leading from the feed wire 2?). The contact points tit and ii of the respective relays 32, 33 are included in the control circuits of the motors it and i5, respectively, through the medium of wires 55 and connected to one terminal of the motors, the other terminals there of being connected to the common wire 58 included in the circuit or the electromagnets 353, Si. The relay contact points 39 and 32 control a circuit through the contact point as of the relay 43, each being connected at one end to a common wire 55-.- leading to said contact point 6 and at its other end to the coils of the respective relays 32 and 33. The other end of the contact point 434i is connected jointly to the biade of the switch l3 and to the coil of its relay it by the wire 41. The other contact point 5-5 of said relay 43 is connected at one end by a wire M with the blade of the film control switch it and at its other end by a wire 55 in circuit with the contact points 3'5 and M9 of the respective relays 32 and The electromagnet 38 is also included in another circuit for advancing the ratchet E9 on step clockwise at a predetermined time in the cycle of operations and for this purpose a switch is provided which is normally open and adapted to be closed by a cam iii actuated in any suitable manner by the film projecting apparatus at the end of play of a, given selection on the film. Thus, at the end of play of a selection, the switch 5% is closed and the ratchet advanced one tooth to bring the circuit-breaking brush gap 22 in register with the next adjoining or higher numbered selector contac 33, which corresponds to the beginning of the next selection and is also the end of the selection just played or projected. Beyond the last or 7th selector contact is a false contact 23* with which the gap registers when the brushes 29, El are moved beyond such last or 7th contact.

The operation of the selector mechanism is as follows:

Assume that selector button 6 was last selected and the corresponding selection on the film l6 projected and completed, and the movable switch element i2 in register with the film-notch i l at the end of that selection and the beginning of the next selection and wherein the switch It is open and the switch it is closed. Assume also, that a selection of a lower number, say l, was selected by the patron depressing the companion push button ii. ihe relay 3% is thereupon energized, the circuit being from the feed wire 25, push button switch 2 and companion selector contact 23, segmental brush 2t, contact 2t, wire 34 to the relay coil and thence to the return feed wire 36, causing the closing of its respective contact points 31, 38 and 39. This circuit is maintained until the brush-gap 22 registers with the number l selector contact 23. A circuit is simultaneously established through the motor 45 to start winding the film in a direction to move it from selection number 6, just completed, to number 4 selection, the circuit including feed wire 36, contact points 38, and wire 52 to the motor and from the motor through wires 5B and 46 to the other feed wire 25. The closing of the contact points 3!! establishes a circuit through the contact points M of the relay 33. As the film starts to move, the switch element 52 is moved out of the film-notch to cause the closing of the switch $3 and the openin of the switch Ml and complete the circuit through the relay 43 to close its points 44 and 45. The closing of the points it locks such relay, the circuit being from feed wire 25, wire 15, relay 53, wire 3?, contact points M, wire 33, and. contact points 39 to the return feed wire 36. As the end of the following selection number 5 is reached, the switch element 52 drops into the corresponding film-notch i l which again opens switch it and closes switch it and circuit is established to energize the electromagnet 3i and move the ratchet wheel is one step in a counter-clockwise direction, shifting the brush-gap 22 from the selector contact 23 corresponding to the selection 6 to that corresponding to the selection 5. This circuit is from feed wire 25, wires t6 and to electromagnet 34, wire it to relay contact points Si, wire 55, relay contact points switch 54 and thence to return feed wire Inasmuch as the selector contact corresponding to selection 4 is still closed, the relay 32 remains energized and the cycle is repeated, not being completed until the brush-gap registers with the selection 4 contact, at which time the relay circuit is opened to break its contact points 3?, 33 and 38, the filmgoverned switches it, it are opened and closed, respectively, and the relay 43 is thereupon deenergized and its contact points :35, 5 broken. During the cycle described the film has been moved from the terminal end of selection 6 to its beginning, then to the beginning of selection 5 and finally to the beginning of the chosen selection l. Thercupon, the film projecting apparatus is set in motion by any suitable means and the film advanced to the end of selection 4 and to the beginning of selection 5. At the end of the projection of that selection, the cam 5'5 is adapted to be actuated by the projector to close the switch 55 and effect the energization of the electromagnet 3% to move the brushes 28, M one step clockwise to the next higher numbered selector contact 23, or in this instance, to the contact corresponding to selector button 5 to bring the brush-gap into register therewith. Should push button 7 be thereafter selected, then the circuits governed by the electro-magnet (:53 are rendered operative to start the motor it; and ad- Vance the film accordingly in the opposite direction. At the end of each selection movement of the film and until the chosen selection is reached, the electromagnet is energized to move the ratchet l9 and its brushes 2b, 24 clockwise in step by step fashion until the gap 22 registers with the contact 23 companion to the push button 7, when the circuits are opened in the manner previously described.

I claim as my invention:

l; A film selecting mechanism, comprising electric drive means for moving the film in one direction or the other to present a given selection thereon for projection, a row of selector contacts corresponding in number to the selections on the film and having selector switches connected thereto, a movable brush disposed for selective circuit-closing engagement with said selector contacts and having a circuit-opening gap therein registrable successively with one or. another of such contacts, a circuit including such parts, and electrical devices in said circuit and responsive to the closing of a selector switch for simultaneously rendering the film-driving means operative until such time as the brush-gap registers with the selector contact corresponding to the selector switch selected and for intermittently moving said brush a predetermined distance at each interval of selective movement of the film, said circuit including a switch in governing relation to the film and movable thereby to one or the other of two positions for rendering the circuit operative to advance the brush a given distance in one position of the switch and inoperative to advance the brush in its other position.

2. A selecting mechanism for films havin a plurality of selections thereon and having switchcontrolling elements at points separating those selections, comprising electric drive means for moving the film in one direction or the other to present a given selection thereon for projection, a row of selector contacts corresponding in number to the selections on the film and having patron-actuated selector switches connected thereto, a movable brush disposed for contacting engagement with said selector contacts and having a circuit-breaking gap therein registrable with one or another of such contacts in a selection-rendering position, electrically-actuated feed means connected to said brush for moving the same intermittently during a selecting cycle until its circuit-breaking gap registers with the selector contact companion to the chosen selector switch, electrically-governed devices responsive to the closing of a selector switch for simultaneously rendering said film-driving means and said brush feed means operative until such time as the brushgap registers with the selector contact corresponding to the selector switch selected, and a film-governed switch included in the circuit of the brush feed means for rendering such circuit operative to actuate such means to advance the brush a given distance upon registration of said switch with the controlling elements on the film and inoperative during the travel of the selection portion of the film between such elements.

3. A selecting mechanism for films having a plurality of selections thereon and having switchcontrolling elements at points separating those selections, comprising electric drive means for moving the film in one direction or the other to present a given selection thereon for projection, a row of selector contacts corresponding in numher to the selections on the film and having patron-actuated selector switches connected thereto, a movable brush disposed for contacting engagement with said selector contacts and having a circuit-breaking gap therein registrable with one or another of such contacts in a selectionrendering position, electrically-actuated feed means connected to said brush for moving the same intermittently during a selecting cycle until its circuit-breaking gap registers with the selector contact companion to the chosen selector switch, electrically-governed devices responsive to the closing of a selector switch for simultaneously rendering said film-driving means and said brush feed means operative until such time as the brush-gap register with the selector contact corresponding to the selector switch selected, a filmgoverned switch included in the circuit of the brush feed means for rendering such circuit operative to actuate such means to advance the brush a given distance upon registration of said switch with the controlling elements on the film and inoperative during the travel of the selection portions of the film between such elements, and means rendered operative at the end of the projection of a selection and operatively connected to said brush feed means for actuating it one step to bring the brush-gap out of register with the companion selector contact and into register with the next adjoining contact.

FRED H. OSBORNE.

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the file of this patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 2,002,352 Owens May 21, 1935 2,269,952 Morgan Jan, 13, 1942 2,322,489 Von Madaler June 22, 1943 2,330,036 Eakins Sept. 21, 1943 2,345,869 Edwards Apr, 4, 1944 2,008,876 Rehder July 23, 1935 1,950,692 Owens Mar, 13, 1934 2,352,077 Clough June 20, 1944 

